Cabin bag and seat selection fees – they’re the sneaky costs that turn a seemingly bargain airfare into a pricey affair.
A study has found that these add-ons with low-cost airlines can, in fact, quadruple the cost of flights.
The report by Which? found these extras increased the price of a Wizz Air flight from London Luton to Lyon from £29 to £124 per person. And a Wizz Air flight from London Gatwick to Milan was quoted as £40, but the added extras meant the price soared to £127, meaning additional fees accounted for 69 per cent of the final price.
The prices on some routes with Ryanair and Easyjet more than doubled.
Researchers found some British Airways flights proved cheaper than Ryanair and Wizz Air once these extra costs were factored in.
Cabin bag and seat selection fees – they’re the sneaky costs that turn a seemingly bargain airfare into a pricey affair. Researchers found some British Airways flights proved cheaper than Ryanair and Wizz Air once extra costs were factored in
Which? is now calling for the government to ensure that these add-on airline fees are included in laws cracking down on sneaky ‘drip pricing’ tactics – charges that are added or ‘dripped’ onto the advertised price.
The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCC Act) is due to come into effect in April 2025, but it is unclear whether add-on charges beyond unavoidable booking or transaction fees will be regarded as covered.
For many passengers, paying for cabin bags or seat selection is essential, but these extra charges are often not included in the headline price, making it difficult to compare the true cost of flying with different airlines.
Which? is calling for the government and regulators to make it clear that the price of any extra fees or add-ons are shown to consumers upfront at the start of the booking process.
The consumer champion is also calling for a ban on charging parents to sit next to their children on flights.
A report by Which? found extras increased the price of a Wizz Air flight from London Luton to Lyon from £29 to £124 per person
Ryanair currently forces parents travelling with under 12s to pay for a seat next to their children, costing £8 when Which? checked – though Ryanair says prices start from €4 (£3.34). Other airlines do not always guarantee that parents can sit with children, which may prompt travellers to pay to ensure their family can be together.
Other countries have taken steps towards explicitly prohibiting airlines from imposing additional costs for booking seats next to children under 12.
Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said: ‘Sneaky dripped fees can hugely change the final price people pay for goods and services and this is particularly true with flights, where the difference between the advertised price and the final fare can easily reach hundreds of pounds for a family.
For many passengers, paying for cabin bags or seat selection is essential, but these extra charges are often not included in the headline price
‘Which? is calling on the government to ensure that additional fees for add-ons like seat selection and luggage are made clear at the very start of the booking process, to ensure travellers can easily compare the final price they’ll pay with different airlines. Unfair charges for parents to sit with children on flights should also be banned.’
A Wizz Air spokesperson said: ‘As an ultra-low-cost carrier, we allow passengers to choose which services they wish to purchase so we can offer the most affordable travel opportunities in the entire industry. Optional add-ons are not required to fly, and we believe that customers should be offered the choice and flexibility to choose the right products.’
An Easyjet spokesperson said: ‘Easyjet customers only pay for the ancillary products they want, so we aim to provide customers with choice and this enables us to keep fares low.’
A Ryanair spokesperson said: ‘The price of Ryanair’s seat selection starts from €4, not the £8 price wrongly quoted by Which? We don’t charge “parents” to sit with children. Rather the child seats are provided free of charge when they sit beside one parent, who must reserve a seat for a fee of €4.’
